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2013/06/18

8 Steps to recharge your battery For Ramadan by Wesam Kerayem

Bismillah

Prepare Your Heart, Mind, and Soul

Have you ever wondered why it is difficult to concentrate in your
prayer? Or why your faith throughout the year is not on a high like it
is during Ramadan or through Hajj?Maybe it is because we usually
jump straight from a phone conversation into Takbir or because we just
go with the flow in Ramadan and are influenced by the environment around
us and not our own ‘real’ feelings.A lot of us usually live life and have our faith dependent on an
upcoming major event, i.e. “I’m going to start reading a page of the
Qur’an a day as soon as Ramadan starts; I’m going to start praying
Qiyam every night when I come back from Hajj; or, I’m going to stop
smoking when my child is born.”And because of this way of thinking we usually end up with an
anticlimax; we don’t end up giving up smoking, we don’t end up praying
Qiyam and we start reading Qur’an but then get back to our normal old self after a few days or weeks.

This is
because these ‘statements’ or ‘feelings’ are based on impulse and not a
real thought out plan. We usually don’t prepare for Ramadan or Hajj or
have a plan for our faith to stay at the increase; we just go with the
flow and expect it all to happen. Well, it doesn’t!

Wouldn’t you
love to enter the month of Ramadan on a real high and have the effects
of this beautiful month be a permanent impact on your life thereafter?
How can this be done?

Below are the 8 steps for a Legacy of a Ramadan.

Step 1 – Create a Ramadan Count DownCounting
down for Ramadan (whether it is done mentally or by keeping physical
signs around the home or office) will help create hype and buzz in your
mind and amongst the people around you.When you and others are counting down to the same event, it becomes part of regular conversation and excitement spreads.

Step 2 – Seek knowledge about RamadanThis
will help you ensure you will do things correctly and perfectly for
Ramadan, it will create hype as there are many motivational aspects and
events in the month to look forward to and finally it is a reward
reaper.The more you know about Ramadan the more you can apply, hence multiplying your rewards.

Step 3 – Make a Ramadan planBe
it reading the entire Qur’an, ensuring you pray Taraweeh every night or
inviting families over for Iftar; make a list of things you would like
to achieve in the month and then how you plan on achieving these goals.It
is important that goals are realistic and it is better that your life
doesn’t need to entirely take a different road in this month (i.e. take
the month off work or change work hours etc.) so that you may continue
to do these deeds after Ramadan.Knowing what you want to achieve in the month will help you stay focused.Ensure you plan your day every night before you sleep when Ramadan starts (try to continue this even after Ramadan).

Step 4 - Know Your LifeBe
aware if Ramadan affects anything that is happening in the month or
shortly after. Do you have exams during Ramadan? Or is there a major
family wedding after Ramadan by a short time? Moving house? If so, plan
for these events from now.Study now so that you are prepared for
the exams before the month starts. Be packed and ready to go before
Ramadan or plan that you do it after so that it doesn’t take time away
from your worship.The last thing you want to do is spend Ramadan
at the shopping centers. Buy any `Eid presents and prepare for any
wedding before the month starts.

Step 5 – Prepare spirituallyWe
all know that Ramadan is about fasting, praying, reading Qur’an and
giving in charity. Start these worships early; don’t expect to just
click into it as soon as the first day of Ramadan starts.Start
doing extra prayers from now, start revising and regularly reading
Qur’an now, get used to being generous and follow the Sunnah of the
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) and fast
during Sha`ban.

Step 6 – Prepare Your mindFasting
is to refrain from more than just what we consume in our mouth. Start
working on your patience; be extra vigilant with your conversations:
ensure you are not backbiting, slandering or talking about useless
things.

Step 7 – Say ‘Good Riddance’ to Bad HabitsKnow
what bad habits you have and stop them from now, don’t wait until
Ramadan begins. If you sleep late, start sleeping early, if you are a
Facebook junky start cutting down, have a coffee craze, slow it down,
etc.It might sound much easier said than done, but once you’ve
committed yourself, purified your intentions – make sincere d`ua for
guidance, Inshaallah, these bad habits will be easier done than you
ever expected.

Step 8 – Plan Your Life Around Your Worship For
instance; instead of working through your prayer or setting up meeting,
etc., at prayer times, plan that you have a break at prayer time. Don’t
take your phone with you to the place you pray and forget the world as
you stand between the hands of the almighty Allah (glorified and exalted
be He).How about you? What are you doing to prepare for Ramadan? Let us know in the comments section!